Beggar's Banquet
Well, I've been doing really well with these posts on Mondays so I think I'll continue the tradition, for tradition is always best, or at least I 've heard it said.
I was driving up to classes today and was totally grooving on Beggar's Banquet, when I got to thinking of "Sympathy for the Devil," a song sometimes viewed as demonic or glorifying Satan in some way. However,. I've always viewed the song as a bit of a social comment on how much evil is in the world now (or even back in the latter years of the 1960's). Anyways, we hear Jagger (as the devil) snarl proudly about all of the grief and misery he has presided over, including the Crucifixion of Christ, the religious wars of Early Modern World Europe, the Marxist Revolution of 1917 in Russia, the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, etc. Of course, throughout, we hear the assertion of Lucifer that he is "a man of wealth and taste," in oher words, an intellectual, a grounded aristocrat, a respected member of society, etc. Here's where we really see the old switcheroo come into play. In effect, Jagger is calling respectable society to account for all of its evils and yet, attempting to blame the youth for all social ills. Yes, rock 'n roll has been and, still is called, the "music of the devil" (Fr. Basil Nortz of Assumption Grotto in Detroit is a current propogator of these views), but a great point is brought forward---Bo Diddley did not build the first atomic bomb, Leo Fender did not author a destructive political ideology that is (to date) responsible for more deaths than ever once imagined, Les Paul did not enslave Africans, etc. All of these manifestly evil actions were performed "under the influence" of classical modes of music (yes, I'll even put traditional pop in this category).
Since the introduction of rock 'n' roll music, not a single World War has been fought, and no large scale wars have been fought in or by nations where rock 'n' roll music is widely available. Think about it.... Maybe coincidence, maybe not, either way, Jagger does have a point, don't chastize the baby in the smoking crater who breaks a piece of china...after all, like father like son....
I was driving up to classes today and was totally grooving on Beggar's Banquet, when I got to thinking of "Sympathy for the Devil," a song sometimes viewed as demonic or glorifying Satan in some way. However,. I've always viewed the song as a bit of a social comment on how much evil is in the world now (or even back in the latter years of the 1960's). Anyways, we hear Jagger (as the devil) snarl proudly about all of the grief and misery he has presided over, including the Crucifixion of Christ, the religious wars of Early Modern World Europe, the Marxist Revolution of 1917 in Russia, the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, etc. Of course, throughout, we hear the assertion of Lucifer that he is "a man of wealth and taste," in oher words, an intellectual, a grounded aristocrat, a respected member of society, etc. Here's where we really see the old switcheroo come into play. In effect, Jagger is calling respectable society to account for all of its evils and yet, attempting to blame the youth for all social ills. Yes, rock 'n roll has been and, still is called, the "music of the devil" (Fr. Basil Nortz of Assumption Grotto in Detroit is a current propogator of these views), but a great point is brought forward---Bo Diddley did not build the first atomic bomb, Leo Fender did not author a destructive political ideology that is (to date) responsible for more deaths than ever once imagined, Les Paul did not enslave Africans, etc. All of these manifestly evil actions were performed "under the influence" of classical modes of music (yes, I'll even put traditional pop in this category).
Since the introduction of rock 'n' roll music, not a single World War has been fought, and no large scale wars have been fought in or by nations where rock 'n' roll music is widely available. Think about it.... Maybe coincidence, maybe not, either way, Jagger does have a point, don't chastize the baby in the smoking crater who breaks a piece of china...after all, like father like son....
posted by Nick M. at 10:46 PM
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